THERE was a big hustle before the Casterton Kelpie Auction this year and it wasn't in the dog trials.
Less than a week out from signing off on the sale catalogue, 39 dogs were entered – down from more than 100 entry requests from vendors last year.
According to Kelpie breeder Nancy Withers, Pomanda, Casterton, the new code binding Victorian dog breeders to uphold certain standards had left them hesitant to attend in fear of investigation under the new laws.
“Through contacts and trading on the loyalty of former vendors, we managed to procure extra numbers to get to 61 catalogued,” she said.
“Most importantly some of these were from interstate. The people missing were mainly those Victorians who could be classified as rearers.”
While prices were made a firm average of $3057 and clearance of 86 per cent, the auction was in danger of being usurped as the premier Australian kelpie sale by others in State’s where the code didn’t apply, she said.
“The effect of that on the town of Casterton would be terrible. This event puts the town on the map,” she said.
Click the image below to see the Casterton Kelpie Muster gallery.
But the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) maintains the code is fair and reasonable for working dog breeders to comply with.
“The Casterton Kelpie Muster is a great opportunity for working dog breeders who sell puppies to showcase their animals,” a DEPI spokesperson said.
“As has always been the case, people who breed and sell puppies need to be registered to do so and must comply with the relevant code of practice.
“The revised Code of Practice provides both pet and working dog breeders with an appropriate framework for their breeding businesses that meets animal welfare standards and reflects broader expectations of the Victorian community with regard to animal care.”
A common theme amongst breeders at Casterton was a lack of understanding of what the new Code entails.
Paul Macphail, Beloka, Welshpool, who has bred working dogs for over 20 years, said he and many of his colleagues didn’t understand what was required and how the laws would be policed, despite attending several meetings over the last year.
This left he and many colleagues frustrated and frightened of prosecution.
It also threatened the future of the kelpie industry, because less breeders meant a reduced gene pool and ultimately less working dogs available, he said.
“Quite a few small breeders that breed a couple of good quality litters, they just didn’t want to be involved this year for the fear of not complying with the rules.”
“But we love our dogs – it’s our livelihood – we know how to look after them.”
Ms Withers echoed a fear of a rapidly shrinking gene pool to breed from.
Although the new breeding code was designed with good intentions to lift welfare standards and stop puppy farming, the increased paperwork and vet bills would ultimately destroy and chance of turning a profit by breeding dog, and chase people from the trade, she said.
However DEPI maintains there was ample opportunity for breeders to consult with the government and understand the laws, which came into effect on April 18.
Two consultation periods on the regulations were open and free training offered to every registered dog breeder in Victoria prior to the code coming into play, which nearly 100 breeders took on.
An online training course and information is currently available to help breeders manage the transition to the new laws.
How the code will be policed is still unclear.
“From my understanding from going to the meetings it all comes down to your local shire decides to deal with it,” Mr Macphail said.
Not all breeders Stock & Land spoke to at Casterton opposed the code however.
Several individuals who bred dogs professionally or as a side business, who chose not to be named, said the new rules had simply put standards in writing that should already be upheld by professionals in the field.
Victorian breeders have long been bound by a code of welfare standards, but the latest incarnation has gone too far, Ms Withers said.
“The problem is that most working dog breeders did not know the former code existed.
“I had no idea and I would not have moved to Victoria from South Australia if I had known.
“There is nothing even like the original in SA or in any other state for that matter.
“I found out about it when, in the lead-up to the last election, the code and promised changes to it were discussed on the ABC radio, several times.
After raising the issue with her local member of parliament and DEPI and being “brushed aside”, Ms Withers realised the potential for the new laws to render working dog breeders unviable.
“Initially there was no inclusion of working dog breeders in the 'consultation' at all until we began to make a loud noise,” she said.
“Now we have a code which is massive compared to the former.”
Casterton Kelpie Association John Houlihan said the code hadn’t had a noticeable effect on auction prices on Sunday, where dogs averaged $3067 compared to last year’s $3208.
“We were down a few dogs on last year but we still had 60 good dogs and a really good day,” he said.
“I can’t say either way but we think [the code] may affect our vendors in the future.”
Of the 13 dogs who sold to $4000 or more, 12 were male.
It was common for male dogs to make higher prices than females, but there were usually a greater percentage of high-priced bitches, sale officials said.
The new breeding code stipulates that any person with two or more fertile bitches qualifies as a breeder and must have their dogs checked twice yearly by a vet, among other regulations.
This was deterring farmers from purchasing bitches and could lead to a smaller number of females in the kelpie gene pool, which would result in a decline in quality of the breed, Ms Withers said.
“The reason for keeping several daughters of top bitches is that you don't know until they are older which ones will breed the best pups until they are proven and the pups are working.
“It has nothing whatsoever to do with wanting to breed numerous litters of pups and 'flog them off'.”